Splitting-machine.



A. W. EATON & C. PHASE.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED JAN. m, 1909.

1,1 1 5,059. Patented 001;. 27, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A. W. EATON & G. PBASE.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1009.

1, 1 1 5,059, Patented 001;. 27, 1914.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

A. W. EATON & 0. PHASE.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18,1909.

1, 1 1 5,059. Patented 0011.27, 1914.

E "9 a? m Fig. 5.

THE NORRIS PEYERS CO. PHOTO-LITH-l. WASHINGYUN D C.

A. W. EATON & G. PEASE.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED JAN-18,1909.

1, 1 1 5,059. 4 Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

HOTO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQEQ ARTHUR W. EATON, OF W'ENHAM, AND CHARLES PHASE, 0F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOES T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF IPA'I'ERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPLITTING'r-MACIIINE.

To all whom may concern Be it known that we, ARTHUR W. EATON and Cr ranmas Pnnsn, citizens of the United States, residing at lVenham and Salem, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, respectively, have invented certain Improvements in Splitting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several. figures.

This invention relates to machines for splittingstock and is shown as embodied in a machine for splitting leather or similar material. In machines of this class it is common to feed the stock to the knife by means of rotating rolls, and inasmuch as the thickness of that portion of the leather which at any given instant is being gripped by the rolls is often not uniform, it has been common to construct one of said rolls of yielding sections whereby the bite of the rolls and hence the feeding of the stock is not interfered with by any unevenness in the leather.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved roll of this character, the yielding sections of which are positively driven. This object may be conveniently attained by usinga roll which consists of a driving member and a pluralityof yieldable sections mounted thereon, a certain amount of lost motion being provided for between the sections and the driving member. Preferably also means are provided for holding said sections from yielding movement except in the desired directionj In splitting machines, particularly in those which are designed to operate upon soft or flimsy stock, it is desirable to have the feed rolls of small diameter so that space for the knife may be provided as near as possible to the bite of said rolls. a The dithculty encountered in reducing; the diameter of the feed rolls is that the strength of said rolls varies directly with the diameter and that a slender roll, if of any considerable length, is liable to spring at the center.

Another object of this invention, then, relates to means for supporting a roll against strain so that the effectiveness of the roll will no longer be dependent upon its diame ter. This means may conveniently take the Specification of Letters Fatent.

Application filed January 18, 1909.

held rigidly upon the sprocket.

Patented Oct. 2'2, 1914. Serial No. 472,968.

form of a plurality of supporting rolls (preferably two) which engage the feed roll along lines remote from the stock; and in order that there may be no friction between the supporting rolls and the feed roll, said supporting rolls may be positively driven in opposite directions in such a manner that their surface speed is equal to that of the feed roll. These supporting rolls may evidentlybe of comparatively large diameter and hence adapt-ed to hold the axis of the feed roll from any movement whatever.

Another object of this invention relates to machines of this class in which a chain knife is employed. In such machines the knife consists of a plurality of blades each mounted in a link of an endless chain, said chain being passed around two spaced sprockets and being driven thereby. As the chain runs on to either sprocket and is carried around on the outer side thereof the links of said chain are separated; and advantage is taken of this separation to interpose at this point a grinding device to round off the corners of said blades for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. It is evident that ifthe grinding device is to produce a uniform result the blades should be Hitherto sprocket wheels of ordinary construction have been employed, the teeth only of said sprockets engaging the links of the chain. It has been found that this engagement has the disadvantage of permitting a certain amount of lost motion between the chain and the sprocket; and another object of this invention relates to the provision of a sprocket which will hold the links of the chain, and consequently the blades, rigidly with respect to said sprocket and thereby permit the grinding device to dress the blades uniformly and satisfactorily. this result the sprocket may be formed about the base of each tooth with an abutment which corresponds in outline to the outline of that end of the link which is engaged by the sprocket. With such a construction as soon as the tooth of the sprocket has on tered the socket in the link and the abutment has engaged the end of the link, said link is held rigid with respect to said sprocket.

Another object of this invention relates to the provision of a blower for removing To accomplish the dust incident to the grinding operation and to means for causing said blower to be operative only during the operation of the grinding mechanism. This latter result may be conveniently brought about by pro viding a counter shaft adapted to drive the grinding mechanism and the blower simultaneously and means under control of the operator for applying power to said counter shaft. This blower also serves the further purpose of cooling the blades and preventing them from becoming overheated and thereby losing their temper, it being understood that said blades are ground to a very thin concaved edge so that a comparatively small amount of heat is liable to raise their temperature above the limit of safety.

It is advantageous to provide mechanism for adjusting the feed rolls transversely to the plane of the stock which is being fed. This adjustment as ordinarily provided for is liable to disturb the mesh of the gears which operate the rolls; and another object of this invention is to avoid this disturbance. This result may be conveniently attained by mounting the carriers which support the feed rolls and main driving shaft on alined pivots so that said carriers may be adjusted about a common axis, this axis preferably being located well to one side of a line passing through the bite of the rolls so that inasmuch as the requisite vertical coniponent of the bodily movement of said feed rolls is comparatively small the lateral movement is practically negligible.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction. and combinations of parts will be explained in connection with the following description of a machine and will be pointed out more definitely in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,--Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a machine embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, the upper feed roll together with its accompanying supporting rolls and hood having been removed to expose the lower sectional feed roll, and the apron having been also removed to show the knife. In this figure the upper part of the frame has been broken off and the pulleys on the ends of the power shaft have not been included; Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the sprockets which carry the chain knife; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper part of the machine as it would appear from the left of Fig. 1, the pulley 117 being broken away; Fig. 5 is a section of the upper part of the machine on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail of the sectional feed roll showing a part of the driving shaft and one section of the roll; Fig. 7 is a perspective of the clutch mechanism; Fig. 8 is a section through the clutch mechanism on line 8 8, of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 is an end iew with the sliding member and the cover plate removed.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 4 and 5 a main shaft 7 is mounted in bearings 3, 5 formed in brackets 35, said brackets being pivoted about studs 14. From this main shaft 7 are driven the upper feed roll 9 and the driving shaft 11 of the lower feed roll, the upper roll 9 being driven by means of a gear 13 fast to the main shaft 7, an intermediate gear 15 mounted on the stud 14 and a gear 17 fast to the roll 9, while the shaft 11 of the lower feed roll is rotated by means of a gear 19 fast to the main shaft 7 and a gear 21 fast to the roll shaft. In order that an upper feed roll of small diameter may be used two supporting rolls 23 are mounted in contact with said upper feed roll, said supporting rolls contacting with said feed roll on lines apnroximately ninety degrees apart and being driven at the same surface speed as said feed roll by means of a. gear fast to said feed roll and gears 27 fast to said supporting rolls.

It is desirable that the feed rolls of machines of this class be adjustable; and in order that said adjustment may be accomplished without disturbing the mesh of the driving gears, thefeed roll 9 together with the supporting rolls 23 are all mounted in a carrier comprising brackets 31 and a cover or hood 29 bolted thereto, said carrier being pivoted on the same studs 14 which carry the main shaft 7, while the lower feed roll 11 is mounted in a second carrier comprising brackets 35 and a member 33 bolted thereto, said carrier also being pivoted on the same studs 14. Attention is here directed to the fact that in the illustrated machine the main shaft 7 is also mounted in the brackets 35 which are a part of the lower carrier.

To provide for adjustment of the feed rolls the upper carrier is provided with bearings in which is eccentrically mounted a shaft 37 said shaft being hung from pivots 39 in the upper part of the frame by means of links 41. This shaft 37 carries at one end a gear which is engaged by a worm 43, said worm being carried by a rotatable rod provided with a hand held 45. The frame of the machine is provided with bearings for another eccentrically mounted shaft 47 carrying a gear 49 which is operated by a rod 51, a worm 53 and a hand hold 55. Upon the eccentric shaft 47 are mounted cup shaped members 57 carrying springs 59 which support links 61 pivoted at 63 to the guide member 33 which, as has been stated, is bolted to the brackets 35 and forms with them the carrier for the lower feed roll. It will be apparent now that by turning the upper hand hold 45 the upper carrier to gether with the feed roll 9 and the supporting rolls 23, all of which are mounted therein, may be adjusted. about theaxis of the studs 14:; it will also be apparent that by turning the lower hand hold 55 the lower carrier together with the lower feed roll and the main shaft 7 may be adjusted about the same axis. The guide member which extends beneath the sectional feed roll is provided with spring-pressed pins (35 upon the upper ends of which are mounted rollers 67, one roller being provided for each section of the feed roll. This feed roll comprises a driving shaft 11 and a plurality of sections, each section being provided with projections 71, which enter grooves 73 in the driving shaft. A certain amount of lost motion is permitted between these inter-engaging members so that the sections are individually yieldable against the tension of the supporting springs 75 while the roll as a whole is yieldable against the tension of the large springs 59.

The knife shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention consists of a chain in the links 7 7 of which are mounted the individual blades 79. Each link is provided with a flat base 81 .(see Fig. 5) in which is a socket for the reception of atooth 83 of the sprockets 85 about which the chain knife travels. As the blades of the knife pass from the operative portion of their path adjacent the feed rolls to the sprocket and are carried to the idle portion of their path remote from said feed rolls, said blades separate as is shown. in Fig. 2; and advantage is taken of this separation to interpose at this portion of the path of the knife a grinding me :hanism, the function of which is to round off and sharpen the corners of the blades so that a outing edge shall be pre sented to the oncominp WOIli theinstant it contacts with a blade in the position numbered 300 in Fig. 2 supposing the blade to be moving toward the left. Hitherto con siderable difficulty has been experienced be cause of certain lost motion between the links and the sprocketwhereby the grinding mechanism has not operated entirely satisfactorily. To obviate this a sprocket of particular form has been provided having at the base of each tooth an abutment 87 (shown herein as fiat) which corresponds in outline to the outline of the inside or butt of the link. It will thus be seen that as soon as a link has reached the position numbered 301 in Fig. 2 the link and with it the blade will be held rigidly with respect to the sprocket. It will be noted that the faces of these abutments form solid angles, the edges of which are resented to the narrow spaces between the links so that, viewing the device from another standpoint, the sprocket may be said to be provided between the teeth thereofwith angular projections adapted to separate the links at their bases and to cooperate with the teeth in holding said links rigid with respect to said sprocket. These sprockets 85 are mounted rigidly on up right shafts 85) which carry bevel gears 91 (see Fig. 1) which mesh with bevel gears 93 fast to a counter shafttlfi. One of the last named bevel gears is adjustable along the counter shaft while separation of the sprockets and hence tightening of the chain is actwunplishcd by means of the set screw 97 (Fig. The counter shaft 95 is driven by a chain 99 which passes over a sprocket 100 an idle tighteuer pulley 101 and a driving; sprocket 103. This driving sprocket 10 5 fast to a sleeve (not shown) to the renmte end of which another sprocket 105 is fast, said sleeve being rotatable on the tie-red 107 and being surrounded by a second sleeve 109 the function of which will be hereinafter explained. The sprocket 105 is driven by a second chain 111 (see Fig. 5) which passes over two idle pulleys 113 and thence around a sprocket 115 fast to the power shaft 7. I

The knife is normally covered by an apron 231 as shown in Fig. 5 and is held in uniform relation with the work and with the grinding mechanism 157 by abutments 233 which are adjustable by means of set screws 235 and clamping screws 237 as shown in Fig. 2.

.With the construction thus far described rotation of the power shaft 7 would cause rotation ofthe feed rolls and n'lovement of the knife so that a piece of stock presented to the rolls would be fed to the knife and split thereby, the location of the split in the stock being determined by the adjustment of the hand holds -15 and 55. lt is necessary however, to grind the blades of the knife, and, inasmuch as the grinding operation produces a considerable amount of dust and heat it is advantageous to provide means for removing said dust and for cool ing the knife. In the present embodiment of the inrcntion the grinding means and the dust ren'ioving and coolingmeans are constructcd and arranged tobe simultaneously put into operation at will, and these means will now be described.

A pulley 117 rotatable upon the power shaft 7, and adapted to be clutched thereto at will, carries a belt 119 which passes around a second pulley 121 fast to a stub shaft 123 which latter shaft carries a double grooved pulley 125. This pulley is connectcd with a third pulley 127 by means of a round belt 129 which is crossed as shown in order to reduce slipping. The third pulley 127 is fast to a counter shaft 131' which drives both the grinding mechanism and the blower. The grinding mechanism consists of two separate devices, one for dressing the corners of the blades as explained above and one for dressing the usual cutting edges. The first named device comprises two grinders 133 placed approximately one above the other. These grinders are mounted in bearings in two brackets 135 which are pivoted at 14%5 to a support. Springs 137 normally tend to keep the grinders from engaging the blades while set screws 139 may be manipulated to bring said grinders into operative relation with said blades. In order to adjust the grinders toward and from the blades the support upon which the brackets are mounted is itself pivotally mounted on vertical pivot 1 10 and is provided with an arm 1 11 carrying a set screw 143 which may be advanced to swing the grinders toward the knives. To drive these grinders a belt 147 passes around a pulley 1 19 on the counter shaft 131 (see Fig. 1) and around the pulleys 151, 153, and 155 (see Fig. 1) on the shafts of the grinders. The other set of grinders 157 is mounted on a bracket 159 which is adjustable in and out on a guideway (not shown). The shafts of said grinders are mounted in sleeves which are adjustable longitudinally by means of knurled disks 161, said shafts carrying pulleys 163 and 165. Three idle pulleys 167, 169 and 171 are mounted on the frame; and a belt 172 passes over all these pulleys and around a pulley 173 fast to the counter shaft 131.

The blower 175 is of ordinary construction and in the illustrated form comprises two pumps 177 the plunger rods 179 of which are operated by levers 181. The lever at the left in Fig. 1 is pivotally mounted on the tie-rod 107 while the lever at the right is expanded at the center to form a sleeve 109 which is rotatably mounted on the sleeve which connects the gears 103, 105. In both cases, however, said levers are oscillated by means of links 183 the remote ends of which have eyes which are carried by pins 185, said pins being eccentrically mounted on gears 187 which mesh with gears 189 out on the counter shaft 131. A main pipe"188 leading from the blower has two branches 190 and 192. The branch 190 leads to the under surface of the knife at the grinders 157. The branch 192 leads similarly to the grinders 133, while from said branch 192 a smaller branch. 190 extends upwardly, said branch being forked at 198, the forks 200 and 202 respectively leading to the upper surface of the knife at the grinders 133 and 15 There is thus provided a strong blast on both surfaces of the knife whereby all dust is instantly removed and the knives are prevented from overheating.

Power is applied to the machine from pulley 191, and in order to clutch said pulley to shaft 7 and to clutch the pulley 117, which drives the blower and the grinding mechanism, to the same shaft, a clutch'of particularly desirable form has been devised. Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, a sleeve 193 fastened to the shaft 7 by means of a key 195 carries a plate 197. To this plate are fixed studs 199 upon which are mounted roll carrying members or levers 201 each member having a socket 203 in its outer end, the inner wall of said socket being curved in an arc struck about the axis of the stud 199 as a center. In each socket is mounted a roll 205, the distance from the axis of the stud to the outer surface of the roll being slightly greater than the shortest distance from said axis to the inner wall 207 of the pulley. A. spring 209 held by pins 211 and 213 normally holds each lever in such position that its roll tends to contact with the inner wall of the pulley. In order to hold the rolls away from contact with this inner wall of the pulley a sliding element is provided said element comprising a sleeve 215 keyed to the'shaft 7, a member 217 adjustable with respect to said sleeve and held in adjusted position thereon by means of a set screw 219, and a hand hold 221 rotatable on said sleeve but held from longitudinal movement with respect to said sleeve by a flange 223 on the sleeve and by the member 217. The sleeve 215 is prevented from sliding ofi from the shaft by means of a washer 23% held by a screw 236. The member 217 carries beveled prongs 225 which engage projections 227 on the ends of the levers 201 as best shown in Fig. 7. As may be seen in Fig. 8 the inner wall of the pulley consists of a bearing ring 229 with which the rolls 205 contact; and a cover plate 230 is held in position by nuts 232 on pins 199.

in operation, the pron s 225 having been adjusted so as to be in line with the projections 227 and the set screw 219 having been tightened, power is applied from any suit able source to the pulley 191. The springs 209 hold the rolls in contact with the inner wall of the pulley which is revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9, the result being that the roll rides up the inclined inner wall of the socket 203 until it is crowded so firmly against said wall that the pulley and shaft rotate in unison. To free the shaft from connection with the pulley it is necessary merely to push the hand hold 221 toward the clutch mechanism whereby the prongs 225 engage the projections 227 and tilt the levers 201 so that the rolls no longer engage the wall of the pulley.

in the operation of the machine the pulley 191 is constantly rotated by any suitable means. The hand hold 221 which prevents the clutch from becoming; operative, having been withdrawn, the main shaft 7 is caused to rotate and with it the feed rolls and the sprockets which carry the chain knife. A piece of stock is then presented to the feed rolls and fed by them to the knife by which it is split, one portion passing above the knife and over the apron, the other portion passing out between the casting upon which the knife is mounted and the lower feed roll as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 5, a fiat plate (not shown) being here interposed to guide the lower portion of the split stock.

Although this invention has been shown and described as embodied in a particular machine it should be understood that said machine is purely illustrative and that nothing herein contained is to be construed as limiting the invention in the scope of its application to the particular machine shown and described. 1

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: l i

1., In a skiving machine having a knife for acting upon stock, a feed roll comprising a driving member, a yieldably supported sectional member, said members being provided with means for positively driving one from the other, and means for limiting the yield ing movement of the sectional member to a direction transverse to the edge of the knife.

2., A feed roll comprising a driving shaft having a stationaryaxis, a rigid work-engaging member loosely mounted thereon, said shaft and member being provided with means for positively driving one from the other, yielding means for supporting said workengaging member, and means for guiding the yielding movement of said member so that it takes place in one direction only. a

3. A feed roll comprising a driving shaft and a plurality of cylinders, said shaft and cylinders being provided with interengaging driving parts constructed and arranged to permit lost motion, a guide to limit the motion of the cylinders transverse to their axes, and spring-pressed rollers to support said cylinders whereby the cylinders are individually yieldable.

4. A feed roll comprising a driving shaft and a plurality of cylinders mounted thereon, said shaft and cylinders being provided with interengaging driving parts constructed and arranged to permit lost motion, a guide embracing the cylinders and limiting the transverse movement thereof and yielding means for supporting said cylinders.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination a knife acting to split stock, and means for feeding stock to be split, said feeding means comprising a retary shaft, a plurality of cylinders mounted thereon, said shaft and cylinders being provided with interengaging driving parts con structed and arranged to permit lost motion 1 a guide limiting the transverse movement 0' said cylinders, yielding means for individually supporting each cylinder, and yielding means for supporting the cylinders as a Whole.

6. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a chain knife, means for actuating said knife, and means for feeding stock thereto, said means comprising a roll having independently yieldable sections and rolls acting to support one of said feed rolls against transverse strain, means acting to split stock so fed, means for actuating said feed rolls and sphttmg mechanism, and

means for positively driving the spporting rolls at the same surface speed as that of the feed roll.

8. A machine of the class described, having, in (:0Illl).ll1{1lli0l1,l plurality of rolls acting to feed stock, one of said rolls having independently yicldable sections, a plurality of supporting rolls acting to prevent the other food roll from springing, a chain knife for splitting stock so fed and actuating mechanism for said knife and rolls.

9. A machine of the class dcscribed,jhaving, in combination, a plurality of rolls acting to feed stock, means for adjusting said rolls about a common axis, mcans acting to split the stock, and actuating mechanism for said rolls and splittingmeans.

10. A machine of the class described, havin in combination a luralitv of rolls act- C37 7 u ing to feed stock, one of said rolls being adjustable toward and from the other in a segmental path about an axis lying approximately in the plane of the knife, means acting to split stock so fed, and actuating mechanism for said rolls and splitting means.

11. A machine of the class describcd,lnwing, in combination, a roll acting to feed stock to be split, a gear fast to said roll, a second gear meshing with said first named gear, means for adjusting said roll about the axis of said second gear, means acting to split the stock, and actuating mechanism for said splitting means and second gear.

12. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a, main shaft, a feed roll, a knife, actuating mechanism for said shaft, roll and knife and means for adjusting said shaft and roll simultaneously.

13. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a main shaft, a plural,- ity of rolls acting to feed stock, means acting to split the stock, and actuating mecha- IllSll'l for the rolls and splitting means, said shaft and rolls being capable of movement about a common axis.

14. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a plurality of rolls acting to feed stock, one of said rolls comprising individually yieldable sections, means for adjusting said rolls in a segmental path about a common axis, means acting to split the stock, and actuating mechanism for said rolls and splitting means.

15. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a plurality of rolls acting to feed stock, one of said rolls comprising yield-able sections, means for supporting the other rOll against force transversely applied, means for adjusting said rolls about a common axis, means acting to split the stock, and actuating mechanism for said rolls and splitting means.

16. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, feed rolls, a knife, a

rindin mechanism a blower a main shaft v and a counter shaft, means for actuating said rolls and knife from said main shaft, means for actuating said grinding mechanism and said blower from said counter shaft, and means adapted to be operated at will for connecting said two shafts.

17. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a knife comprising a chain and blades mounted in the links thereof, grinding mechanism for dressing the corners of the blades and sprockets for ac-- tuating said knife, the blades of the knife extending radially from said sprockets, said sprockets and chain being constructed to present each corner of said blades rigidly to the grinding mechanism.

18. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a knife comprising a chain and blades mounted in the links thereof, means for actuating said knife in a path the plane of whlch coincides approxlmately with the plane of the knife, and grinding mechanism for rounding off the corners of the blades, the actuating mechanism for the knife comprising sprockets having flat abutments at the bases of the teeth thereof to present each corner of the blades rigidly to the grinding mechanism.

19. A feed roll comprising a driving member, a plurality of sections driven thereby, springs for supporting the sections individually, and other springs acting through said first named springs for supporting the sections as a whole.

20. The combination with leather splitting mechanism including a chain knife and means for actuating the same in a closed path, of a blower and grinding mechanism arranged to act upon said knife at a given locality in its path, and means adapted to be operated at will for actuating said blower and grinding mechanism simultaneously.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR W. EATON. v CHARLES PEASE. l Vitnesses FRED W. Gnnnsonn, ARTHUR L. Rnssnnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

